Offaly Senior Hurlers 2024

[pigeon house biffo]

Forwards not giving our backs any relief at all

Physically, look miles off where laois are

Contested well, its the first week of jan nothing won or lost this time of the year

Great to see few new lads get game time

Could do with getting some of the senior lads from last year back involved to add some physicality

Think the leage will be a long auld slog

[Anonymous1]

Didn’t see the game but the team looked fairly experimental so I wouldn’t read too much into the result, the bigger worry would be your point about the physical condition of the team…

[pigeon house biffo]

Didn’t see the game but the team looked fairly experimental so I wouldn’t read too much into the result, the bigger worry would be your point about the physical condition of the team…

It was more a comment on physique/size. Laois had bulls of men all over the field, think leon fox was the only one really able to hold his own. Our lads had loads of legs but just looked to be getting horsed out of it very regularly.

Would hope to see the ben conneelly experiment at full back be nipped in the bud fairly sharpish

[Anonymous1]

Didn’t see the game but the team looked fairly experimental so I wouldn’t read too much into the result, the bigger worry would be your point about the physical condition of the team…

It was more a comment on physique/size. Laois had bulls of men all over the field, think leon fox was the only one really able to hold his own. Our lads had loads of legs but just looked to be getting horsed out of it very regularly.

Would hope to see the ben conneelly experiment at full back be nipped in the bud fairly sharpish

Was the same last night in the football too, Laois had much bigger and more physically well built players than we had.

Must just be a serious shortage of big/physical men in Offaly as a whole…

[del]

Looked at the 2 games online and along with other posters here the lack of size height wise is worrying . Have Offaly been investing into the smaller nippy player and ignoring bigger lads at underage level who mite not be as good but have one thing that can’t be bought is height . Heard of few fellas dropped off development squads during the last couple of yrs who are big gossins. We need to help these bigger young lads develop and help them cause from what I can see in both codes it’s gonna catch us out

[Fairplayalways]

I read both squads when announced and steered clear of predicting that Laois had a stronger looking squad, with subs bench looking stronger to me anyway...its only first game with some not yet back, but these are the games where you find out who you've got to do what etc. but league isn't far away and these games will fly around and then we are into serious teams in the league and no hiding place then, even when the percieved stronger players are back..Galway will be interesting at weekend...

[faithfulfanatic]

Good competitive game last night.

Laois with almost a full panel available and looked very determined to avenge what they viewed as an injustice of Offaly losing the last JMcD group game to cost them a final spot.

Game seemed to pass some of the Offaly youngsters by. Seen very little of Cleary, Luke Watkins, Cathal King etc although Cleary and Luke Watkins popped up with a point each. Charlie Mitchell looked like an experienced member of the squad on his introduction at half time and has grown accustomed to senior inter county hurling. The only way to do the same with the other u20s is through exposure.

Paddy Delaney looked tidy at corner back as always.
Ben Conneely solid as ever.
Seen very little of Jack Clancy but he shipped a heavy blow before Leix’s first goal. Not a corner back.
Dara Maher impressed at wing back.
Didn’t see much of James Nally.
Ciaran Burke looked slightly off it on introduction, giving away a penalty and mishandling the ball a few times. Time of year to get it out of the system.
I cant see Leon Fox nailing down centre back or centre forward ahead of Kiely or Jason Sampson. Wing back or midfield is where he will look to be. His hurling was poor but he was very involved and brought the physical power that we need. The hurling will no doubt improve as the year goes on.
Our best performers up front were Nally and Kelly.
Killian Sampson never really affected the game at centre forward.
Morgan Watkins blown away in the physical game.
Eimhin Kelly looked very impressive at full forward. He had 3 or 4 wides and scored a point but was a constant threat and set up 3 or 4 scores with incisive passes. He also went on a 5 minute spree before half time around the middle of the field of breaking up play and attacking, winning 3 frees that Nally duly converted.
The aforementioned David Nally brought the soft touch and silky play we are all accustomed to by now, also hitting his frees well.
The pick of the youngsters was Dan Bourke.
He did make a lot of mistakes but he got on a mountain of ball, and wasn’t afraid to take his man on. He always seemed to be running and available.

I note comments above about Leix’s physical dominance and that was always going to pay told on January 4th.
I’ll take our chances with our better hurlers come April or May when the ball is hopping nicely.

Galway this weekend in Tullamore. Expect a much changed Offaly side, with lads taken off at half time and subs from last night making up the bulk of the starting team.

[Fairplayalways]

Coulnt make hurling in Tullamore, there will be many on who will say the didn't see the game today V Galway in Tullamore, many who were probably at it...apparently the referee insisted the game went ahead..which was strange in itself..to let it play 3/4 way through and then decide it was too dangerous is equally as strange..who is out impressing who as regards making sure fixtures are completed I dont know..the CB as i say said they didnt want game to go ahead, was the ref after driving a big distance and made a personal decision to go ahead??..football game on tv here now and its bad fog but probably playable, apparently OCP was not playable gping by commentary and HT and after match interviews...off topic I was driving and couldn't attend OCP, MR103 usual music music etc..Galway Bay fm had full commentary and always do..game itself from what i heard, we are lacking punch up front as usual..our goal was a result of the fog..keeper never seen the ball at all apparently..

[pigeon house biffo]

From what I could make out, we seemed to be miles off it again. Fog probably played a part. Looked a bit more like what we might expect as the starting 15 this year but I noted the abscence of the ravenhills and brian duignan still

[private joker]

Offaly looking for a refixture, galway don't want to go again. I assume it has to be replayed?

[JimBwobb]

Is Cillian Kiely currently in training or on an extended break ?

[faithfulfanatic]

Is Cillian Kiely currently in training or on an extended break ?

Photo on the fundraising Twitter page for little Joey Conway shows Kiely togged out with the team before today’s game.

I’d expect he is undergoing some form or rehab or conditioning

[JimBwobb]

Ah brilliant - great see him back after a brilliant year last year.

[Doon Exile]

Offaly looking for a refixture, galway don't want to go again. I assume it has to be replayed?

Fans should have done a pitch sit down protest for replay….!!

[Fairplayalways]

Very hard to "see" that happen today